The Forgotten Ring
by GoldxSilver
Summary: Harry has been looking for ways to bring back his deceased lover for twenty years, and he thinks he just found one. SSHP slash.


Disclaimer: Everyone belongs to Jo.

A/N: OK so this is written after Deathly Hallows and the includes the epilogue. I guess you'd call it AU.

**The Forgotten Ring**

Abnormally large rain drops fell around him, emerald eyes darting back and forth across the muddy hole which he had created. He had been scrabbling around now for a good two hours. His jet black hair was plastered to his face by the rain and sweat, which had accumulated on his forehead and the sides of his nose. His glasses had been lost in the confusion and he couldn't be bothered to find them at the present moment. Then his fingers collided with cold metal, startled he quickly withdrew his hand grabbed his wand and muttered Lumos. The light poured from the wand tip over the ground illuminating the hole he had dug out. Right at the bottom was half of a golden ring, a black stone encased in it's clasp. The wand clattered to the soggy ground. The young man carefully lifted the ring out of the muck, a single tear ran down his face. He got up off of his knees and placed the ring carefully on his finger.

* * *

_How could I have been this stupid! Searching for an answer that was there in front of me the whole time! I ran down the stairs hopping the last one and grabbed my scarf, which lay limply on the banister. _

_"Harry? Where are you going?" I looked over at Ginny, my wife, we'd been together for almost twenty years now, and I'd never told her of us. _

_"Out, Gin." I said coolly "I'll explain, everything later." I would have to wouldn't I? Can't have him showing up and Ginny dying of fright. I wrapped the green and silver scarf tightly around my neck, and inhaled deeply I could still faintly smell his after shave mixed with old potions ingredients on the scarf. He gave it to me one night we spent together, I'd kept it after all these years. I quickly turned the door knob and apperated on my front step so Ginny couldn't ask me anymore questions. _

_It was the winter holidays so the kids were home. The kids, how was I supposed to explain it to them? I loved them all and wouldn't change them for the world. They're all that keep me going sometimes. What if they didn't except him?_

_I fell over after apperating, after all these years I still can't get the hang of it. I looked up toward the towering building in front of me, Hogwarts, I hadn't seen the place in years. It brought tears to my eyes, thinking about my first real home. Dark clouds loomed over head, which worried me slightly. I wandered toward the back of the castle round the side into the back grounds, to where the Forbidden Forest lay. The first drop of rain fell on my cheek, I sighed loudly looking up to the heavens. I stopped walking at the edge of the forest and got down on my hands and knees I searched through the tall thickets of grass, the grounds keeper wasn't doing a very good job with this._

_I looked for ages but couldn't find the ring, it was driving me mad. That's when I almost gave up and placed my head in my hands as the hot tears rolled down my cheeks. I had been so stupid, yet again my high hopes had been dashed. How the hell could've I thought that the ring had stayed in the same place for twenty years? Some stupid beast had probably taken the ring and eaten it. My shoulders shook, but I had been so sure, had almost felt the touch of his velvet skin under my fingers, had almost smelt the musky sent of spices and vanilla. Tears still searing their tracks on my face, I began digging, frantically at the ground. The rain fell harder, pounding the ground, as thunder quaked the earth and lightening lit up my determined face. I was beginning to lose it again I chocked on the tears I could feel coming up, pawed my hand uselessly at the ground once more, brushing away a fragment of earth and as I did so I felt the cool surface of metal. I groped for my wand and lit the tip. My eyes widened in shock, my wand fell from my grasp. There it was, the ring.

* * *

_

He didn't quite remember how it worked, after a few seconds he slipped the ring off, and held it in his palm. Then turned it over three times in his hands, taking in the scratches and dents still trying to figure out the mystery of the ring. There was a light tap on his shoulder which made him yelp jumping quite high into the air. After his heart rate had gone back to normal, Harry thought about who it could be. Probably the new grounds keeper that was going to yell at him then take him up to the Headmaster. Harry quickly devised a reason for snooping around the grounds. He turned.

"Look, I'm very sorry about-" Harry had turned around and was now looking straight into the eyes of his deceased lover. His jaw fell in surprise, tears welled at the corners of his eyes. It had been so long.

"Shh, I'm here now." Severus Snape whispered into Harry's ear, caressing his cheek lightly. Severus pulled Harry into his embrace. Harry had always been able to find comfort in the dark robes as a boy of sixteen and now as a man at thirty eight. Harry laced his arms around Severus' neck, as Severus' pulled Harry closer. They stayed in this position, each one thinking of how they had missed the feeling of being in the others arms. Harry pulled back slightly to look up into Severus' onyx eyes, fierce passion burning within them. Severus lifted Harry's head up with one finger.

"I've missed you." Harry said almost inaudibly. The corners of Severus' lips turned into what Harry recognized as one of his "Severus smiles" as Harry had called them back at the younger age of sixteen.

"And so have I." Severus said just as softly, placing a finger against Harry's lips and slowly trailing it to his chin. Severus bent his head and leaned in, closer to Harry's lips. Harry's eyes fluttered close, as his lips met Severus'. He felt Severus' tongue move slowly against his lips, Harry gave entrance to Severus. Harry moved his hands up to Severus' silky hair as Severus pressed himself against Harry for much needed contact. Passion bubbled up inside of Harry as Severus reacquainted himself with Harry's mouth. Harry moaned into Severus' mouth, this was what had been missing, Ginny could never match up to fill the hole Severus had created. They drew back for air and held each other until Severus spoke. "Harry, this can't work." Harry didn't want to believe him, he just wanted to think about now not later.

"Why not?" Came the tiny voice after some time. Harry had buried his face in Severus' cloak, trying to hide the tears that were falling.

"Because, you are with the living." Severus answered plainly as if it were really that simple.

"Severus I can't go on with out you. I've tried! It's too hard, I miss you. Everything I do reminds me of you." Harry paused his brain running a mile a minute "If you can't join me here, with the living, then I'll join you in death." Some part of Harry knew he could never do it, his children needed him.

"Your children need you Harry." Severus stroked Harry's soft locks which were damp with rain. Harry's small frame shook against Severus. "Look at me, Harry." Harry lifted his head slowly to Severus' eyes. Severus cupped Harry's face with his hands. "I will always wait for you, just take your time in leaving this world. There's no going back, and I'm not going anywhere." Harry smiled shyly up at his lover.

"I-I'm sorry." Severus shook his head, but before he could speak Harry started up again. "About Ginny, I thought I could love again…I was wrong." Severus started to withdraw himself from Harry. "Please don't go!" Harry held fistfuls of the cloak.

"Harry, I'll never really be gone." Severus said stepping back once again and trying to untangle Harry from himself. Harry let go and watched Severus bend over and pick something up from the grass. He took Harry's hand and placed the ring in it. "Only when you feel like there's no point in going on, it drains too much magic." Harry griped the ring tight as if holding it was his only reason to live. Severus kissed Harry's forehead tenderly, then trailed his hand down Harry's arm to hold the boy's, Severus would always see Harry as a boy, hand. Severus' semi-transparent from began to vanish.

"I love you Severus." Harry whispered to him, unsure if he would be heard. Harry felt something like paper in his hand. 'Severus must have slipped it in when he took my hand' Harry thought to himself. He opened his hand and unfolded the piece of parchment. Harry smiled at the note and then read it out loud.

"I love you too."

Fin


End file.
